Diabetes and obesity affect numerous humans throughout the world, and are associated with or induces other diseases or conditions. In particular, diabetes and obesity are serious risk factors for diseases and conditions such as hypertension, gallbladder disease, cancer, polycystic ovary disease and arteriosclerosis and can contribute to elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood. Overeating and obesity, which frequently leads to diabetes, have become a problem in the general population. Consequently there is interest in reducing food intake, losing weight, and reducing elevated blood glucose.
Inflammatory gastrointestinal conditions affect millions of people. For example, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) affects thousands of newborns each year and is the most common gastrointestinal emergency of premature infants. Mortality rates of NEC are between 10 to 50%, and thus NEC remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in premature infants. The pathophysiology of NEC is poorly understood. An effective treatment of NEC as well as other inflammatory gastrointestinal conditions is needed.